ALOR SETAR, Sept 4 — PAS wants to cooperate with both Bersatu and Umno for the 15th general election, the Islamist party’s vice-president Datuk Idris Ahmad said late last night.

Idris, who is also minister in charge of Islamic affairs, said PAS’ struggle is to unite Malay Muslims in the country, which means it needs to play the role of peacemaker to both parties.

"Journalists often ask us if PAS wants to choose Umno or Bersatu. No! We choose both.

"Let the people condemn, belittle us. We want unity,” he told thousands of party members attending its election machinery meeting in conjunction with the 68th PAS congress here.

On September 2, PAS’ Dewan Ulama approved a motion to unite the ummah through co-operation with Umno and Bersatu and to reject any form of electoral pact with Pakatan Harapan in GE15.

PAS is part of the Perikatan Nasional coalition formed in early 2020 with Bersatu — a splinter of Umno following the sacking of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in 2015 — and three other multiracial parties.

At the same time, PAS is in a political alliance with Umno called Muafakat Nasional (MN), formed in 2019 after both parties were defeated in the 14th general election.

PAS had attempted to include Bersatu in MN, but talks flatlined after Muhyiddin stepped down as prime minister last year.

Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has recently poured cold water on having any election alliance with PAS through MN.

In a Facebook post two days ago, Zahid said MN was based on trust, which was lost when PAS chose to ally with Bersatu, a party bent on destroying Umno.